Sexual, social and other kinosphere in complete silence

Hollywood was in a state of severe withdrawal. Movie surprise of many, came color and sound, had to curtail production of the old type of pictures and at least force the actors to talk over. The public demanded sound and the silent Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, and Charlie Chaplin with Buster Keaton never looked so celestial. So let’s leave Hollywood with his technical and creative difficulties to the side and talk about what in fact was remembered in a movie 1929.

Sexual, social and other kinosphere in complete silence

Dancing skeletons An American movie here. Walt Disney always loved to take risky steps. He has the little mermaid swam Topless (and then they had to quickly «dress» in a bra made of shells, or the censorship did not miss), the heroes of Dickens revived, reincarnated in the rich drakes. Macabre view of the cemetery also apply to such actions, and although Mickey mouse in the movie does not appear, his enthusiasm and a kind of humor there is quite present. Among all the disney works this five-minute cartoon is one of the most quoted today. Apparently, the reason that people both then and now, I want everyday horror to squint and laugh, because laughter is the last call misfortune. And if you laugh, that sent shivers down his spine ran.

Dancing skeletons

UN Chien andalouA cloud floats in front of the moon – the knife cuts the eye. One of the most famous images in film history. With this film started to thank Luis buñuel, is a Manifesto of surrealism, which was created in collaboration with the then already legendary Salvador Dali. In General, while Hollywood created the Institute of stars and perfected the system of genres, dividing them between giant studios, the Europeans indulged in the most incredible experiments, considering the movie avant-garde art form. The twenties – the heyday of new poetry, painting, music and of course cinema. The generation that lived through the First world war, felt as if civilization was not even debris, and try to build again, avoiding the mistakes of the past. And, of course, not to look at the commercialization of Hollywood, but to create a brand new film than Luis buñuel and engaged in life.

Salvador Dali could not deny myself the pleasure to star in «Andalusian dog». In this picture he is on the right

Man with a movie cameraA special place in this innovative movement belongs to Vertov Dziga Vertov, one of the founders of documentary cinema, the author of «the Communist decoding of the world». He has long struggled with the theatrics in the movie, declaring a real war game cinematography at all. And defeating her in their films, immediately began the battle with a literary flair. If there is a specific cinematic language, then that language need to communicate, without resorting to «crutches» in the form of an explanatory or other credits. To implement this fully Vertova managed to implement in «Man with a movie camera», a poetic statement about reality, which seems to be opposed to the bourgeois surrealism, but in fact it’s the same dream on the screen, that of buñuel. Only made without actors, although some scenes of the film that seem to contradict. It should be noted that Vertov was not an enemy of the sound in a movie if the sound was a natural part of the image, but still written synchronously. This he proved later in the film «Donbass Symphony» and «Three songs about Lenin». But it is the «Man with a movie camera» is the most important of his creation in the eyes of the world, the most international, universal and bright, a new language, in which the artist can freely communicate with the world. At home fiddling was immediately accused of formalism, was forced publicly to repent of it, and never tried to make such radical movies like this. The film was reedited, the music he was writing a bright contemporary composers, he is often shown in different cities around the world with live musical accompaniment. Perfect movie, a masterpiece.

Frame from the film «Man with a movie camera»

TurksibThe Dziga Vertov with great interest watched abroad. I watched everything from working small clubs to the intellectual elite and Hollywood film stars. Everyone was wondering what was happening in this mysterious country, where people are building communism, and with it build a lot of related objects. For example, the Turkestan-Siberian railroad, which immediately brings a vast territory from the middle Ages to the twentieth century, camels and horses of the main allies and supporters of the man in front turned into Pets, because the practical applications for them less. The world watched «Turksib», and did not believe that it is possible. On the screen a lot and it has been shown – as a gay magic, which immediately wanted to participate.

Still from the film «Turksib»

RainJoris Ivens soon, too fond of Communist ideas and go to withdraw to the USSR, in Spain, in China. And while he lives in Holland and takes off… rain. This short film is one of the most famous movies in history, and it is possible to watch even without sound: falling rain drops themselves create the melody. Music in the image, the dream of any Director. The film is simultaneously avant-garde and very simple, gentle, clear to any child. Here is the city, here comes the rain, here it goes in a downpour, but it ends – and the whole story. Small but perfect example of «city symphonies» made, of course, without the influence of Vertov, but without any political message. This is a documentary poetry, rain is transformed into a poetic image and maintains a special dialogue with the city and its inhabitants. And this film is still inspired by them and to quote him.

Still from the film «Rain»

White hell of Piz-Palud And this film did not look, because feature films generally is aging rapidly, and because modern technical equipment allows the same scene to achieve a higher impact. And just the genre of the mountain film is considered to be exhausted in 20 years. But in Germany he was extremely popular, the Germans liked the grandeur of the mountain peaks, like strong and brave people that these peaks were conquered, and, of course, loved beautiful women, with whom strong men had struck up a great relationship. But if among in the role of a women was the rising star of Leni Riefenstahl, the film as «the White hell of Piz-Palud», became a national hit.

Shot from a film «the White hell of Piz palü»

The driftersThe film «Drifters» may not be a perfect work of art. However, its author John Grierson soon all left the Director because he was more important to create a documentary industry, as far as possible. With this film begins the Grand Saga of the «group Grierson»: he rallied around him a number of brilliant artists and began to produce their paintings. He became the first producer, and first theoretician of documentary film, and the term «documentary» is believed to have introduced it. Subsequently, Grierson left the UK and worked abroad, creating new images. But it all started with this little work about fishing that since I know all the experts.

Frame from the film «the Drifters»

Pandora’s Box Georg Wilhelm Pabst, in addition to «the White hell of Piz-Palud», released in 1929, another film that went down in history as a masterwork rather than a commercial hit. Apparently, in the film began a study of perverse sexuality, crime-related. Pabst introduced a new type of heroine – Lulu prefers both men and women, it is ready to use all for your goals and will stop at nothing. But once her charms to lure a man with whom to be trifled. The public has not seen, but the Pabst in this case, just continued his search for his predecessors, the German expressionists who study perverse passions in their most terrible forms. Many cinephiles the film is considered one of the highest achievements of silent cinema.